2013-14 Local College Basketball Preview

CaptionCoppin State

Pat Lovell, USA Today Sports

Laboring though a 2012-13 season that ended with an 8-24 record and a 5-11 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference might not bear many special memories for Coppin State. But the Eagles' three victories in their last four regular-season games have resonated with the players and coaches. "It's really just a mindset," said senior small forward Michael Murray (above). "It will benefit us a lot because we know the mentality is going to be different. [Losing] kind of tore the team apart a little bit. People were down on themselves. But it's something in the past and it's something to build off of." Last year's struggles -- which included losing streaks of seven, five and four games -- were not unexpected after the program had graduated its top five scorers from the previous season. But the downward spiral was still difficult for the players at times, coach Fang Mitchell said. "[A] lot of them weren't used to losing," Mitchell said. "But the fact that they got through it and came to life at the end of the year where they started believing in themselves, it took some of the pain away. But it doesn't take away the pain of just losing. When you lose, you get a lot of attention and finger-pointing at who's at fault. A winning atmosphere is something that is so vital for us to move in a positive direction, and that's one of the things we're looking for this year." The outlook is much more positive heading into this season. Four of the top six scorers return, including Murray (12.4 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game) and senior shooting guard Andre Armstrong (12 ppg and 35.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line). Murray is expected to miss the first two to three weeks while healing a broken right hand, which could impact a Coppin State offense that has led the MEAC in two of the past three seasons. But the team's defense (tied for 11th out of 13 teams in the league last year) and rebounding (13th in rebounding margin) could be the more telltale indicators of the Eagles' fate. "Last year, with our record the way it was, we had all the offensive talent you could think of," Armstrong said. "We had people that could shoot inside and outside. It's just that we didn't buy into the defense well last year, and we see that if we play defense, we can close the gap. We can't talk about the MEAC championship unless we stop people, and once we start to do that, I feel that things will start clicking in our favor." -- Edward Lee

Laboring though a 2012-13 season that ended with an 8-24 record and a 5-11 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference might not bear many special memories for Coppin State. But the Eagles' three victories in their last four regular-season games have resonated with the players and coaches. "It's really just a mindset," said senior small forward Michael Murray (above). "It will benefit us a lot because we know the mentality is going to be different. [Losing] kind of tore the team apart a little bit. People were down on themselves. But it's something in the past and it's something to build off of." Last year's struggles -- which included losing streaks of seven, five and four games -- were not unexpected after the program had graduated its top five scorers from the previous season. But the downward spiral was still difficult for the players at times, coach Fang Mitchell said. "[A] lot of them weren't used to losing," Mitchell said. "But the fact that they got through it and came to life at the end of the year where they started believing in themselves, it took some of the pain away. But it doesn't take away the pain of just losing. When you lose, you get a lot of attention and finger-pointing at who's at fault. A winning atmosphere is something that is so vital for us to move in a positive direction, and that's one of the things we're looking for this year." The outlook is much more positive heading into this season. Four of the top six scorers return, including Murray (12.4 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game) and senior shooting guard Andre Armstrong (12 ppg and 35.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line). Murray is expected to miss the first two to three weeks while healing a broken right hand, which could impact a Coppin State offense that has led the MEAC in two of the past three seasons. But the team's defense (tied for 11th out of 13 teams in the league last year) and rebounding (13th in rebounding margin) could be the more telltale indicators of the Eagles' fate. "Last year, with our record the way it was, we had all the offensive talent you could think of," Armstrong said. "We had people that could shoot inside and outside. It's just that we didn't buy into the defense well last year, and we see that if we play defense, we can close the gap. We can't talk about the MEAC championship unless we stop people, and once we start to do that, I feel that things will start clicking in our favor." -- Edward Lee (Pat Lovell, USA Today Sports)

There are times when Dylon Cormier and R.J. Williams don't even have to say a word. As the starting guards for Loyola, there are unspoken rules between the duo. For instance, if the point guard Williams (above left) presses a ball handler, Cormier (above right) knows that he has the green light to go for the steal. And when Williams drives to the basket, he knows that Cormier is lurking nearby for a backdoor assist. "I've been playing with Dylon since I was 10 years old," said Williams, a Baltimore native and St. Frances graduate. "We've always been playing on the same team, starring together, coming off the bench together. He's like my brother. He's a great player. He always works hard and makes me work hard. When we're on the court together, we've got the same passion for the game. We've got the same will to win. We just like to get the job done." The onus is on Cormier -- another Baltimore native and Cardinal Gibbons graduate -- and Williams to get the job done this season as the Greyhounds graduated three starters from a squad that went 23-12 last year and finished in a tie for second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Their experience and leadership will be invaluable as Loyola tries to develop a reliable frontcourt and moves into the Patriot League. "Those two guys are by far the two toughest kids I've ever been around as a coach," said G.G. Smith, a former Loyola assistant who replaced Jimmy Patsos as head coach in April. "They're two Baltimore kids that don't back down from anything. Tough, hard-nosed, but the thing that has impressed is the way they represent themselves at Loyola. The way they approach practice every day and try to get better. The way they listen to the coaches and just being a leader. Their job is an extension of me and an extension of this coaching staff, and they've done a great job of that so far." Cormier led last year's squad in scoring (16.4 ppg) and ranked third in the MAAC with 62 steals. Williams averaged 4.9 points and 4.0 assists. Can their cohesion lead the Greyhounds? Cormier seems to think so. "We kind of know each other," he said. "We don't even really have to look at each other. ¿ Our guard play will definitely be pivotal to our success this year." -- Edward Lee

There are times when Dylon Cormier and R.J. Williams don't even have to say a word. As the starting guards for Loyola, there are unspoken rules between the duo. For instance, if the point guard Williams (above left) presses a ball handler, Cormier (above right) knows that he has the green light to go for the steal. And when Williams drives to the basket, he knows that Cormier is lurking nearby for a backdoor assist. "I've been playing with Dylon since I was 10 years old," said Williams, a Baltimore native and St. Frances graduate. "We've always been playing on the same team, starring together, coming off the bench together. He's like my brother. He's a great player. He always works hard and makes me work hard. When we're on the court together, we've got the same passion for the game. We've got the same will to win. We just like to get the job done." The onus is on Cormier -- another Baltimore native and Cardinal Gibbons graduate -- and Williams to get the job done this season as the Greyhounds graduated three starters from a squad that went 23-12 last year and finished in a tie for second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Their experience and leadership will be invaluable as Loyola tries to develop a reliable frontcourt and moves into the Patriot League. "Those two guys are by far the two toughest kids I've ever been around as a coach," said G.G. Smith, a former Loyola assistant who replaced Jimmy Patsos as head coach in April. "They're two Baltimore kids that don't back down from anything. Tough, hard-nosed, but the thing that has impressed is the way they represent themselves at Loyola. The way they approach practice every day and try to get better. The way they listen to the coaches and just being a leader. Their job is an extension of me and an extension of this coaching staff, and they've done a great job of that so far." Cormier led last year's squad in scoring (16.4 ppg) and ranked third in the MAAC with 62 steals. Williams averaged 4.9 points and 4.0 assists. Can their cohesion lead the Greyhounds? Cormier seems to think so. "We kind of know each other," he said. "We don't even really have to look at each other. ¿ Our guard play will definitely be pivotal to our success this year." -- Edward Lee (Mark L. Baer, US PRESSWIRE)